0:00:02 > 0:00:05There are nearly a million homes lying abandoned in the UK
0:00:05 > 0:00:09waiting for someone to breathe life back into them.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12So whether it's a tired semi or a rambling mansion,
0:00:12 > 0:00:15we are on a mission to rescue Britain's empty homes.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28Taking on an empty property isn't for everybody,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31but if you want to make your money go that bit further
0:00:31 > 0:00:35and create something that matches your individual needs, then it could be for you.
0:00:37 > 0:00:40Today I'll be helping an environmentally-conscious couple
0:00:40 > 0:00:44explore a possible eco-friendly renovation of a disused house.
0:00:44 > 0:00:48I think you still can put solar panels on that roof.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53'I'll be introducing them to homeowners who are reaping the rewards of their own eco rebuilds.'
0:00:53 > 0:00:58When the meter reader came he backed out of the cupboard and he said, "You don't use much."
0:00:58 > 0:01:02And we'll also be joining an empty property officer as she investigates
0:01:02 > 0:01:05the plight of some of the nation's abandoned houses.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I can't see if there's an accumulation of mail.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10Normally that's a telltale sign.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14Many house-hunters are wary of taking on an empty property.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Cautious about taking on crumbling features and tatty decor,
0:01:17 > 0:01:21often such buildings can sit on the market for months, even years.
0:01:21 > 0:01:26But if you've got the vision to spot the potential in such a place, you could bag yourself a gem.
0:01:28 > 0:01:33Gas technician David Hall and his wife, architectural student Heather, and their two daughters
0:01:33 > 0:01:40plan to downsize to a smaller house somewhere near their present home in Ingatstone, Essex.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43The whole outlook on it is to downsize, pay off some
0:01:43 > 0:01:47of the mortgage and keep some money back to do the house how we want it.
0:01:47 > 0:01:53David and Heather are keen to be green, and what better way to start than by recycling an empty house?
0:01:53 > 0:01:58They are hoping this would allow their £400,000 budget to stretch
0:01:58 > 0:02:03so they can afford to install as many eco features as they can to lead a greener life.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08More than just renovating a house, we're more after a lifestyle, really.
0:02:08 > 0:02:15'The main reason really is being able to put in renewable energy so we can live sustainably.'
0:02:15 > 0:02:19We're looking for something smaller so we can afford to put those features in.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25'But it's not going to be easy being green, as they've never done an eco renovation before.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28'I want to help them explore some options before they take the plunge.'
0:02:28 > 0:02:31Heather, David, I rather like your story, because
0:02:31 > 0:02:34you're saying you're not bothered about what kind of a property
0:02:34 > 0:02:41you get provided it's empty and you can realise your ambitions to have a greener life. Is that right?
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Yeah. I think it's more important for us to get
0:02:43 > 0:02:48sustainable features into the house so we can live in a different way.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51What features would you be looking to put into this new property?
0:02:51 > 0:02:56We'd probably go underfloor heating, solar panels, rainwater harvesting.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Triple glazing, anything that we can afford we'll be putting in.
0:02:59 > 0:03:04It's a good idea, none of us would argue about it, but it's often easier said than done.
0:03:04 > 0:03:09It isn't easy at all, because it's quite an expensive thing to do to an existing home.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12You know, you have to, there's a lot of things that you have to add
0:03:12 > 0:03:14that you don't necessarily get payback for.
0:03:14 > 0:03:16But you are also downsizing...
0:03:16 > 0:03:19- Yeah.- ..to be able to afford this long term investment.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24How is that going to feel, going into something smaller?
0:03:24 > 0:03:26We've lived in smaller houses before.
0:03:26 > 0:03:31- Yes, but it's one thing going up, it's another thing going back the other way.- Yeah, I know.
0:03:31 > 0:03:37Well, it's all going to be part of the lifestyle change. It's all going to all hopefully fall into place.
0:03:37 > 0:03:41You've come to the right place. Hopefully we can equip you with
0:03:41 > 0:03:43some useful ideas and inspire you to take it forward.
0:03:43 > 0:03:49I mean, it is a big undertaking, but if anybody can do it, I'm pretty sure you two can.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Later I'll be introducing David and Heather to some green renovators
0:03:55 > 0:03:58who have taken advantage of empty houses to create their eco dreams.
0:03:58 > 0:04:01But first I want to set them a challenge.
0:04:01 > 0:04:04Heather and David have very clear ideas about what they
0:04:04 > 0:04:09are looking for, but will they be put off by the reality of a tired and rundown property?
0:04:11 > 0:04:14I'm sending them to view a property
0:04:14 > 0:04:17in the hope that they'll not only appraise it in terms of
0:04:17 > 0:04:22an eco makeover, but also be able to spot how they could extend it to get the most for their money.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29On the market for £310,000 this 1970s three-bed detached house
0:04:29 > 0:04:31certainly fits their criteria.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35There's ample scope here for a side extension that would
0:04:35 > 0:04:39increase the size of the bedrooms and give them more space downstairs.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45But will David and Heather see this and how it could be adapted to suit their green needs?
0:04:45 > 0:04:48- It's quite boxy, isn't it? - Yeah, it is very box-like.
0:04:48 > 0:04:50I'd want to take this wall out.
0:04:50 > 0:04:52- Want to open it right up.- Yeah.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57- This is all quite nice. This could all be opened up.- Yeah. The condition is perfect.- Yeah.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59- We can do whatever we want. - Whatever we wanted to.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03It's a good sign. Heather is flexing her architectural muscles.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06Feels quite small to me.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09- Very long and narrow, aren't they? - Yeah.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13I guess this must be one of the smaller bedrooms.
0:05:13 > 0:05:14Smaller bedrooms, yeah.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18- Small.- Yeah, small again, isn't it?
0:05:18 > 0:05:24- For me, the rooms feel too small to warrant doing all the changes that we are doing.- That we want to do.
0:05:24 > 0:05:29When viewing vacant houses it can be tempting to dismiss individual rooms on first sight,
0:05:29 > 0:05:33but often an opportunity to change the entire layout can be just around the corner.
0:05:33 > 0:05:36So this is where all the room is.
0:05:36 > 0:05:42Could you make another bedroom in here without compromising, you could almost put a wall through here,
0:05:42 > 0:05:48have two bedrooms and then make that one bedroom at the front which would make that a bit bigger.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51Because this is disproportionate to the rest of the house.
0:05:51 > 0:05:57- Yeah. The other two bedrooms are very small and very pokey and this is a nice bedroom.- Mmm.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01Out in the garden they spot how the house could be expanded further.
0:06:01 > 0:06:05I think just at the side there you could extend.
0:06:05 > 0:06:07- What, come out here?- Yeah.
0:06:07 > 0:06:09But what about any eco possibilities?
0:06:09 > 0:06:11- If this is facing south...- Yeah.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14..you could still can put solar panels on that roof
0:06:14 > 0:06:16because it's, the pitch is going that way...
0:06:16 > 0:06:20- Yeah, so you could put in on the sides.- You can have quite a lot of surface area.- Yeah.
0:06:20 > 0:06:23I'm starting to feel a bit more positive about it.
0:06:25 > 0:06:27This will be David and Heather's first attempt at
0:06:27 > 0:06:29an eco renovation, so now
0:06:29 > 0:06:33'they've had a little time to reflect on the house, I was keen to find out their thoughts.'
0:06:33 > 0:06:38It was definitely interesting. It could be quite easily adapted,
0:06:38 > 0:06:41easily remodelled. It was just a matter of changing things.
0:06:41 > 0:06:43- Like changing the windows.- Yeah
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Maybe taking a few walls out internally.
0:06:46 > 0:06:52All of this costs, of course. We're talking sort of ideally £50,000 renovation spend.
0:06:52 > 0:06:54Which is quite low.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59Particularly when you are thinking of putting in some potentially expensive green solutions as well.
0:06:59 > 0:07:00What would you do there?
0:07:00 > 0:07:06Well, we would first of all utilise the roof space, put PV panels...
0:07:06 > 0:07:10- Photovoltaic panels.- That will do the energy and the electricity.
0:07:10 > 0:07:12Insulate right, triple-glaze the windows.
0:07:12 > 0:07:17In general, then, I mean, as an example project, shall we say,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19I get the feeling that this quite inspired you.
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Oh, definitely, yeah.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25I think the key thing today, then, is to give you some ideas, actually,
0:07:25 > 0:07:30as to how you can best incorporate some of these green solutions into any property, frankly.
0:07:30 > 0:07:34We've got a couple of properties for you to look at. We can pick the brains of the owners,
0:07:34 > 0:07:38see what they've done and hopefully take those lessons away with you
0:07:38 > 0:07:42as well as understanding some of the pitfalls that come with it.
0:07:42 > 0:07:47'No matter what kind of empty property you choose to buy, the one thing they all require
0:07:47 > 0:07:50'in their renovation is imagination and hard graft.'
0:07:50 > 0:07:55When Oliver Carpenter and Sue Braithwaite spotted this dilapidated
0:07:55 > 0:08:01bungalow in Martley, Worcestershire back in 2002, they knew that even though it was virtually condemned
0:08:01 > 0:08:04it had the potential to provide them with the home they were after.
0:08:04 > 0:08:10It was a sad house in a fantastic setting, and that's what appealed to us.
0:08:10 > 0:08:14We realised that we could do something with the house.
0:08:14 > 0:08:16Because it had irreparable structural damage,
0:08:16 > 0:08:21Oliver and Sue had no option but to demolish the original bungalow
0:08:21 > 0:08:27and in its place they were keen to build an eco-friendly house out of sustainable materials
0:08:27 > 0:08:32complete with solar panels and a living plant roof to help blend the building into its surroundings.
0:08:32 > 0:08:37I think what we are particularly proud of is the fact that all
0:08:37 > 0:08:43the fabric of the building is locally sourced, and I think that's really important to us.
0:08:43 > 0:08:49All the wood cladding is from the UK and the gravel is from five miles down the road,
0:08:49 > 0:08:56and those sorts of things I think bring the house into some sort of context with its environment.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59Although the majority of the building is new, there was one
0:08:59 > 0:09:02part of the original house they decided to retain as a feature.
0:09:02 > 0:09:08When we lifted up the manhole, there was this fantastic well, so we
0:09:08 > 0:09:14built up another couple of layers, got a special piece of glass, and it now is an integral part of the house.
0:09:14 > 0:09:16It also played a key function in the design of the house,
0:09:16 > 0:09:23because, if you like, the well is a brick tower going down,
0:09:23 > 0:09:26and that's why we ended up with the brick tower going up.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33The bungalow cost them £220,000, and having spent a further £350,000
0:09:33 > 0:09:39on the rebuild, they have achieved not only an environmentally friendly house but also a fantastic home.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42Obviously, technology has moved on and more ecological things
0:09:42 > 0:09:47could be done now, but at the time it was as good a go as we could do
0:09:47 > 0:09:52on our budget, and we've ended up with something that suits us.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56You know, we now have a house that we love.
0:09:58 > 0:10:02Houses that have been abandoned and neglected can quickly deteriorate
0:10:02 > 0:10:05and, of course, they can attract crime, but help is at hand.
0:10:05 > 0:10:08All across the country, teams of empty property officers are
0:10:08 > 0:10:10hard at work trying to find out who owns them,
0:10:10 > 0:10:13why they've been abandoned and to see what can be done about it.
0:10:14 > 0:10:20Like the rest of the nation, Staffordshire has its share of abandoned buildings.
0:10:20 > 0:10:24In Stoke on Trent, it's empty property officer Zainul Pirmohamed's job
0:10:24 > 0:10:27to get the city's 3,500 vacant homes lived in again.
0:10:27 > 0:10:32I love getting hold of the owners, getting in contact with them and saying, "OK, this is the impact you
0:10:32 > 0:10:35"are having on the community, what do you want to do with the property?"
0:10:35 > 0:10:40and then finding a solution that meets their needs as well as meets the community's needs.
0:10:40 > 0:10:45Today Zainul is responding to a call about a property that's been reportedly empty
0:10:45 > 0:10:49for two years and has become a thorn in the side of the local community.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52She makes a few rudimentary checks for signs of abandonment.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55I can't see if there's an accumulation of mail.
0:10:55 > 0:10:57Normally that's a telltale sign.
0:10:57 > 0:11:01Because the glass is obscure, obviously we can't look through there.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03I'm just going to have a look through.
0:11:03 > 0:11:09Ah, curtains are closed, so we can't tell if it's furnished any longer by looking through there,
0:11:09 > 0:11:14but generally it's not a bad property and it wouldn't take a lot to bring it back into use,
0:11:14 > 0:11:19so it's important that the owner sits down with us and talks to us
0:11:19 > 0:11:22and tells us actually what their plans are, why it's empty.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Frustrated, Zainul needs to make further enquiries with the neighbours,
0:11:26 > 0:11:31but just as she's leaving another neighbouring house catches her eye.
0:11:31 > 0:11:36Hasn't been reported to us, but I would think it's an empty property as well.
0:11:36 > 0:11:40With no response at the house, she takes photos for reference,
0:11:40 > 0:11:44and where she thought she had one property to investigate she now has two.
0:11:48 > 0:11:52- Hello.- Hi, I'm Zainul Pirmohamed from Stoke-on-Trent City Council.
0:11:52 > 0:11:56I'm here to investigate a complaint about an empty property just along from you.
0:11:56 > 0:12:01- Do you know how long it's been empty? - It's been empty for about 18 months.
0:12:01 > 0:12:04Do you see anybody visiting the property?
0:12:04 > 0:12:06No, not since they moved out.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09Have there been any problems at the property?
0:12:09 > 0:12:13We've had the police to the property, the property has been boarded up,
0:12:13 > 0:12:19- both the door and the windows and that was like that for absolutely months and months.- Really?
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Garden overgrown.
0:12:21 > 0:12:26You mention the garden, and that looks quite as if it's been maintained by somebody.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28It's been maintained by the neighbours.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32- So they are the ones keeping the lawn tidy.- Yeah, they were keeping the garden tidy.
0:12:32 > 0:12:37Right. OK. I'm only here for one property, but I've noticed the one next door looks quite bad.
0:12:37 > 0:12:41Yes, the one next door has been empty for at least three years now.
0:12:41 > 0:12:45Well, they've bought it and have been in the process of building.
0:12:45 > 0:12:47- But it's a long time.- Yeah.
0:12:47 > 0:12:50It just brings your property down, you know.
0:12:50 > 0:12:53To be honest, if I came along to look at a property
0:12:53 > 0:12:56and I saw those I'd think, you know, what sort of street is this?
0:12:56 > 0:12:59It does look a mess, and although I've had a complaint
0:12:59 > 0:13:02about the other one, I will get hold of the owners.
0:13:02 > 0:13:06- I will write to the owners of the other one as well. I want to know what the plans are.- Yeah.
0:13:06 > 0:13:08- Thank you very much.- You are welcome.
0:13:08 > 0:13:12I'll be back within the next three months to give you a quick update and let you know.
0:13:12 > 0:13:16- That would be brilliant.- Thank you. Thanks for your time. Take care.
0:13:17 > 0:13:23I'll do some searches, write to both owners, invite them in for meetings, find out why they are keeping them
0:13:23 > 0:13:28empty, what the plans are, what the obstacles are, and then come up with some solutions.
0:13:28 > 0:13:31What is clear is it's a lovely community here,
0:13:31 > 0:13:34there's lots of people who have got pride in their homes,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37and clearly, if the properties were put up for sale,
0:13:37 > 0:13:40if they were put for let, I can imagine they would be in demand.
0:13:40 > 0:13:44While Zainul is still trying to trace the owners of the first house,
0:13:44 > 0:13:49she's since discovered the other house wasn't empty and building work has now restarted.
0:13:53 > 0:13:57If you're thinking of renovating a tired old home, going down the green route
0:13:57 > 0:14:00can have more benefits than just being kind to the planet.
0:14:00 > 0:14:04There are grants available for many eco-friendly projects and some schemes, like solar heating,
0:14:04 > 0:14:09can allow you to sell back any excess energy you generate to the National Grid.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14Heather and David Hall are looking for a lifestyle change.
0:14:14 > 0:14:17In search of the good life,
0:14:17 > 0:14:20they want to find an empty property to turn into an eco-friendly home.
0:14:20 > 0:14:25- The condition is perfect...- Yeah. - ..because we can do whatever we want really.- Whatever we want to.
0:14:25 > 0:14:29Although they're very passionate about all things renewable,
0:14:29 > 0:14:32they've never tackled a possible renovation project like this before.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37So I'm introducing them to a couple of home renovators who have the eco know-how
0:14:37 > 0:14:40in the hope their advice will be invaluable.
0:14:40 > 0:14:44Covered in scaffolding, building very much in progress.
0:14:44 > 0:14:48- What do you think of that? - It's hard to say, isn't it, really?
0:14:48 > 0:14:50- It looks like an average semi. - Well, that's exactly what it is.
0:14:50 > 0:14:54- I think very much the sort of thing you're prepared to take on.- Yeah.
0:14:54 > 0:14:59But, of course, this one has the added bonus that within the conversion, at the heart of it,
0:14:59 > 0:15:05are some fantastic green credentials which I think are very much the sort of thing that you'd...
0:15:05 > 0:15:07- That we're looking for.- ..want to do.
0:15:07 > 0:15:11When Felicity and Carl Wallendes were looking to buy a property
0:15:11 > 0:15:14in Headington, Oxford, back in 2009,
0:15:14 > 0:15:17this vacant 1930s semi fitted the bill perfectly.
0:15:17 > 0:15:20Although they'd never done a large renovation before,
0:15:20 > 0:15:23the opportunities the house presented were too good to ignore.
0:15:23 > 0:15:26It was clear that it did need quite a lot doing anyway.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29It needed complete re-wiring for a start, and re-plumbing,
0:15:29 > 0:15:33and so we thought, as we've got to do quite a lot of work anyway,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36why not do this eco-renovation at the same time?
0:15:36 > 0:15:42Carl and Felicity were determined to include as many eco aspects into their redesign as possible.
0:15:42 > 0:15:44For us it's important to do what we feel is right
0:15:44 > 0:15:48and that's why we looked for an architect who'd be able to advise us
0:15:48 > 0:15:54because we've got the opportunity to find out as much as we can about possible eco renovation
0:15:54 > 0:15:56and do it now, while the house is a building site.
0:15:56 > 0:16:02'What we'll end up with, we hope, is pretty much a zero-carbon house.'
0:16:02 > 0:16:05These are the two responsible, this is Carl, this is Felicity.
0:16:05 > 0:16:09Now then, the exciting thing about this is that you've really set about
0:16:09 > 0:16:12making this a very environmentally friendly build, haven't you?
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Can we explore a bit further and see what it is you're putting in,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17cos I think this is going to be interesting for you.
0:16:17 > 0:16:21- This is your new extension, isn't it, through here?- Yeah. Yeah.
0:16:21 > 0:16:25- Then you've got this thing.- Yeah, this is...- This is very exciting.
0:16:25 > 0:16:28This is an air-source heat pump, the part that will sit outside.
0:16:28 > 0:16:31- That's large, isn't it?- It is.
0:16:31 > 0:16:34- So that's the bit that draws heat from the outside air...- Yeah.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37..and uses that, and that will supply
0:16:37 > 0:16:39all our space heating and hot water.
0:16:39 > 0:16:45On average we'll get four kilowatts of heat for every kilowatt of electricity it uses.
0:16:45 > 0:16:48- Because it's essentially working like a fridge in reverse.- Yeah.
0:16:48 > 0:16:53Taking the ambient air temperature, turning that around and giving you, what, 50, 60 degrees?
0:16:53 > 0:16:57- Yeah, for the hot water.- Yeah.- A bit lower for the under-floor heating.
0:16:57 > 0:17:02What made you choose air-source over other types of renewable energy?
0:17:02 > 0:17:06Well, it was our architect who put us onto the idea.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08He recommended it.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13Solar, it's fine in the summer, but you don't get much in the winter,
0:17:13 > 0:17:17whereas this will work down to something like minus ten degrees.
0:17:17 > 0:17:22And, as for insulating the rest of the house, I can see all that stuff
0:17:22 > 0:17:25- stacked up behind you there, Carl. - That's an important part of it.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29We couldn't really have this without decent insulation.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32The first thing I would say for anybody who wants to do
0:17:32 > 0:17:36any sort of eco renovation is insulate as well as you can.
0:17:36 > 0:17:41- Do that before you start tinkering with expensive sources of generation.- Yeah.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45'While Carl and Felicity have minimised their carbon footprint, they've made sure
0:17:45 > 0:17:48'they've maximised the potential in this previously empty house.'
0:17:48 > 0:17:53It's hard to tell underneath the scaffolding, but what's going to happen up here?
0:17:53 > 0:17:58At the top is the loft extension, so we've a loft room with en-suite.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01Was there one there originally? I can see the neighbours have done it.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03No, this house didn't have one,
0:18:03 > 0:18:08so we thought it's great to have the extra space, so while we're doing all this let's put one in.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11The planners couldn't say no if they've allowed it either side.
0:18:11 > 0:18:14- There's no problem with that.- No, no problem with planning for that.
0:18:14 > 0:18:17I'm hoping that the pair of you are feeling quite inspired by this,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20because this is a very manageable build in a very manageable building.
0:18:20 > 0:18:25Exactly the sort of thing I'd hope you would think of taking on. How do you feel now, Heather?
0:18:25 > 0:18:29There are elements of what you're doing that we would try to replicate.
0:18:29 > 0:18:33It's all about choices, isn't it, and weighing out what's best for you
0:18:33 > 0:18:37and what gives you the most efficiency and what you can afford.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40- Mm.- But...I mean, it's just amazing.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43I think you should all go up and have a good explore upstairs,
0:18:43 > 0:18:49- have a closer look at these extensions and so forth, and I'll catch up with you all later.- OK.- OK.
0:18:49 > 0:18:53'I do think this has been well worth showing to Dave and Heather.'
0:18:53 > 0:18:58It's answered, I hope, one or two questions and inspired them as to the fact that you can
0:18:58 > 0:19:03comfortably retrofit some of the very latest technology to an existing building,
0:19:03 > 0:19:08and when this one is finished it's going to be a very efficient and very beautiful family home.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12Later I'll be taking them to see an award-winning project
0:19:12 > 0:19:15where green intentions are at the very heart of the design.
0:19:17 > 0:19:19First, back in Stoke-on-Trent,
0:19:19 > 0:19:24empty property officer Zainul Pirmohamed is following up a recent letter to an absent homeowner
0:19:24 > 0:19:27whose garden had become a magnet for local fly tipping.
0:19:27 > 0:19:31I wrote to the owner and the owner did go to visit the property
0:19:31 > 0:19:35following receipt of my letter, and...
0:19:35 > 0:19:40were quite alarmed to see the state of the property externally.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45Following that, they tidied the property up, or that's what they have told me.
0:19:45 > 0:19:49I'm hoping when I get there that the property's been tidied up and is now neat.
0:19:49 > 0:19:53It looks like the front's been tidied up, so somebody has definitely
0:19:53 > 0:19:57been out to this property since we've written to the owner,
0:19:57 > 0:20:02so the owners seem to have done what they've informed us they have.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05Zainul checks to see if anyone is living there.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09Well, the property has got a lot of belongings in
0:20:09 > 0:20:14but it looks like it's storage, it's being used as a storage area.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19There's belongings but not set out as if it's somebody's home.
0:20:19 > 0:20:24Satisfied with the front of the building, she checks the back to see if it's just as tidy.
0:20:24 > 0:20:27The trick is finding the right property.
0:20:27 > 0:20:28It's this one.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35Well, if there were any weeds and trees, they've all gone.
0:20:35 > 0:20:39There's nothing there now, it's just a clean yard.
0:20:39 > 0:20:41It's all been cleaned up,
0:20:41 > 0:20:42as they said they would do.
0:20:42 > 0:20:47It's a job well done, but Zainul won't close the book on this house
0:20:47 > 0:20:50until she can ensure it becomes someone's home once more.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53It's important that they work with us to bring it back into use.
0:20:53 > 0:20:57There is a housing shortage, and in this case the owner's said
0:20:57 > 0:20:59that perhaps my letter, my conversation with him,
0:20:59 > 0:21:03is the kick-start they needed to start something with the property.
0:21:03 > 0:21:08And I've given them a few weeks to really make that decision before we sit round the table.
0:21:13 > 0:21:17Heather and David Hall want to downsize and fulfil their passion
0:21:17 > 0:21:21of finding a vacant house where they can create their eco-chic dream.
0:21:21 > 0:21:24They've seen a '70s pad with potential.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27I think you still can put solar panels on that roof.
0:21:27 > 0:21:32And met some renovators in the midst of their build who've armed them with some invaluable advice.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36Now I want them to see a finished renovation that is inspirational.
0:21:36 > 0:21:42It's the complete green package, if you like, applied to the sort of property
0:21:42 > 0:21:46that you will readily find on the market as an empty home.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50This one. And the lady we're going to meet has done it all on her own.
0:21:50 > 0:21:52- Wow.- And she's nearly 80.- Wow.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57After the death of her husband, Averil Stedeford sold her house
0:21:57 > 0:22:02and bought a 1950s semi to convert into her ideal home.
0:22:02 > 0:22:08My vision was that I wanted it to be as green as it possibly could be
0:22:08 > 0:22:09in every respect,
0:22:09 > 0:22:16so I found an architect who knew how to make the vision into reality.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18It's been a labour of love.
0:22:18 > 0:22:20The project has earned her awards
0:22:20 > 0:22:23and amongst Oxford locals the nickname the Green Granny.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27It was very important for me because I care about the environment
0:22:27 > 0:22:31and I don't want to go on demonstrations or sign lots of petitions
0:22:31 > 0:22:33but I've done something
0:22:33 > 0:22:37really big that very few people have done and that lots of people admire,
0:22:37 > 0:22:44and come to look at, and some people decide they'd like to do the same, and those were my aims.
0:22:44 > 0:22:49'One of the main parts of the refurbishment was a ground-floor extension
0:22:49 > 0:22:53'that Averil wanted to be as ecologically friendly as possible.
0:22:53 > 0:22:57'It's made with sustainable products including fleece to insulate it
0:22:57 > 0:22:59'and cedar wood to clad it.'
0:22:59 > 0:23:03One of the things I love about your concept from the outset, Averil,
0:23:03 > 0:23:08is that you've not just gone for green solutions but they are all from sustainable sources.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11- That's right.- It sounds obvious but it doesn't always work out, does it?
0:23:11 > 0:23:18No. You have to weigh it up, and I discussed the cedar with the architect for that reason
0:23:18 > 0:23:23and I've spoken to a Canadian about it too, who says we've got so much it would roof the whole world!
0:23:23 > 0:23:27- Really?- So don't worry about it.- So you're not doing any damage. Right.
0:23:27 > 0:23:29But it's very important to take into account
0:23:29 > 0:23:33not just how much your energy change is going to be afterwards
0:23:33 > 0:23:37but how much energy is embodied in the building that you've put up.
0:23:37 > 0:23:41'Another big feature Averil included in her renovation
0:23:41 > 0:23:44'was an underground water tank that she uses to collect rainwater.'
0:23:44 > 0:23:48That's the filter, and the water rink is way down there.
0:23:48 > 0:23:54- What do you use it for primarily?- It flushes the toilets and serves the washing machine and the outside tap.
0:23:54 > 0:23:56But it's one of those things that's pretty achievable
0:23:56 > 0:24:00- compared to the big cost of things like ground-source heat pumps.- Yeah.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04These are things that most of us could retrofit to our houses.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08'Averil has also put solar panels on the roof of her house.
0:24:08 > 0:24:13'These not only provide hot water but also heat the underfloor heating system in the extension.'
0:24:13 > 0:24:18If you want to heat a big room and you've got a little radiator, it has to be very hot.
0:24:18 > 0:24:22If your radiator's the whole floor, it doesn't have to be very hot at all,
0:24:22 > 0:24:27so even in the winter, when the solar panels are giving me water of no more than 40,
0:24:27 > 0:24:29it's plenty to heat this.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32Now, after all this investment and all this time,
0:24:32 > 0:24:36what difference has it made to the running of this house, its carbon footprint if you like?
0:24:36 > 0:24:42- Well, the estimate is that I've reduced my carbon emissions by just about 60%.- Wow.- That's amazing.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Which is very pleasing.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48And has that made a big difference to your outgoings?
0:24:48 > 0:24:52It has made a significant difference to the fuel bills, yes. Yes.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55It was really funny when the meter reader came.
0:24:55 > 0:25:01He backed out of the cupboard and said, "You don't use much."
0:25:01 > 0:25:05- I valued his opinion because he knows what's average for this neighbourhood.- Yeah.
0:25:05 > 0:25:06- Yeah.- But that's interesting.
0:25:06 > 0:25:11- Not only have you reduced your emissions by 60% but you've also got away with an extension.- Yes.
0:25:11 > 0:25:15And I think that's a really useful thing for you to take away, Heather.
0:25:15 > 0:25:19You know, don't be restricted by the property that you buy,
0:25:19 > 0:25:24do think big if you need to, you can expand it without making a sizable impact on the environment,
0:25:24 > 0:25:29- and you're going to create something which is going to run very efficiently as well.- Yeah.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32So if David and Heather are able to achieve half as much as Averil
0:25:32 > 0:25:36in the house they finally buy, I think they'll have done really well.
0:25:36 > 0:25:38So, now then, that's it.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41What are the key things that you'll take away from it, Heather?
0:25:41 > 0:25:47Um... Well, I loved Averil's house, I loved the extension,
0:25:47 > 0:25:52and that's really reassured me actually because I was very concerned about extending unnecessarily.
0:25:52 > 0:25:56Averil's house, the carbon footprint was still very low,
0:25:56 > 0:26:01even though she had imported materials from Canada and Sweden and Denmark.
0:26:01 > 0:26:07And how about you, David? We've seen some of the very latest technologies employed in both houses.
0:26:07 > 0:26:10What are you going to take away with you?
0:26:10 > 0:26:15I think it's going to make us think hard about the heating and hot water side of it.
0:26:15 > 0:26:19I thought Averil's...her set up seems spot on to me, what she had.
0:26:19 > 0:26:22- So it's been useful.- Very.- Very useful. Thank you.- Very useful.
0:26:22 > 0:26:29And in turn has that boosted your sense of confidence about taking on a major renovation in a green way?
0:26:29 > 0:26:30Without a doubt.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33You know, I'm even more fired up, I want to do it even more.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I can't wait!
0:26:35 > 0:26:40Well, as we've seen, taking on old buildings is all about passion.
0:26:40 > 0:26:46Passion for architecture, a passion for design and in Dave and Heather's case a passion for the planet.
0:26:46 > 0:26:49We've given them some, I think, very interesting green options
0:26:49 > 0:26:52and now they're in a position to really pick and choose
0:26:52 > 0:26:56which ecological solutions are going to work best for them and the property they end up with.
0:26:56 > 0:27:00And as for Heather, well, she said she can't wait to get started.
0:27:00 > 0:27:02Good luck, Dave.
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